Complaints about NDIS soar amid anger at delays to payments
Feb 25, 2018 3:50:52 GMT 7
Denis-NFA, krystal, and 2 more like this
Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2018 3:50:52 GMT 7
Was the NDIS just conceived as Labour's Way to juggle figures, what do others think? Cheers bear
Complaints about NDIS soar amid anger at delays to payments
Report shows gripes about the disability scheme rose sharply although 83% say their experience was good or very good
Complaints about the national disability insurance scheme have increased again, driven by growing anger at delays within the agency handling the landmark reform.
A new report released this week showed there were 3,880 complaints made directly to the National Disability Insurance Agency [NDIA], which manages the NDIS, in the three months to December.
That’s above the average levels seen during the NDIS transition so far, and is up from the 2,961 and 1,669 complaints in the two previous quarters.
Disability sector risks losing volunteers over NDIS uncertainty, groups warn.
NDIS banner increase is partly explained by the NDIA manually entering complaints from a previous quarter into its systems.
“Notwithstanding this observation, the NDIA is concerned about the level of complaints it has received,” the agency’s quarterly report to the council of Australian governments said.
By far the most common complaint to the NDIA last quarter concerned delays.
There were 1,235 complaints (37% of all complaints) about the NDIA’s timeliness in the December quarter, a significant increase from the 782 complaints (30%) the quarter prior.
The next most common individual complaint was that the NDIA did not take individual needs into account (22%).
In total, there have been 13,113 complaints made so far during the NDIS transition. That means 11.4% of all NDIS participants have complained, mostly about the NDIA, but also about disability service providers.
The rising number of complaints has not been accompanied by any significant drop in the overall satisfaction rate with the NDIS. About 83% of those surveyed rated their experience as either good or very good, which is largely consistent with previous quarters.
There were also positive signs coming from participants who have had their support packages reviewed so far this financial year.
About 72% said the NDIS helped them with activities of daily living, 68% said it had helped them with choice and control, and another 62% said it assisted with social, community and civic participation.
The report also shows NDIS support plans were approved for 19,965 new participants in the December quarter, taking the total number covered to 132,743. Another 9,523 children have been supported through early childhood early intervention supports.
The NDIA chief executive officer, Robert De Luca, said the growth was significant.
“These figures demonstrate the pace and successful progress of the NDIS, which will ultimately deliver reasonable and necessary supports to Australians with disability to help them achieve their goals, and increase their economic and social participation,” De Luca said.
But the numbers are still lagging behind intake estimates set out in a series of bilateral agreements between federal, state, and territory governments.
The NDIS has only achieved about 82% of the participants it was thought would be signed up by this point. The report warned the NDIA may not have the ability to keep track with the estimates.
“There are significant challenges posed in keeping pace with bilateral estimates,” the report said.
The NDIA warned it may be difficult to reach the estimates because of difficulties contacting potential participants, people not wishing to enter the scheme, being found ineligible, or no longer requiring support. It also said the estimates were made from incomplete data.
The opposition spokeswoman for social services, Jenny Macklin, said it was past time that problems with participants’ plans were resolved.
“Some participants are receiving plans they don’t recognise,” Macklin said. “This is resulting in more reviews and more delays.
Above all the staffing cap on the NDIA has to be removed. There just aren’t enough staff in the NDIA.”
www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/feb/24/complaints-about-ndis-soar-amid-anger-at-delays-to-payments
